Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1887-10-20
With his vessel loaded with the sand.

he had committed no crime. The de-
fence claimed he had gone there
according to long established custom,
and taken away the sand which had
been thrown up by the sea to point
between high and low water mark.
Thursday Afternoon.
J At the resumption of Court in the
afternoon, Charles H. Station, indicted
at the last term of Court for keeping a
disorderly house, was called up, and
pleading guilty to the indictment,
was fined $50 and costs, and to stand
committed till fine and costs are paid.
Young Rochester Morley, convicted
at the January term, of an assault on
Bertha Skillman, was called up for
sentence. The Court sentenced him
to pay fine of $50 and costs, and to
stand committed until fine and costs
were paid.
The case of the State against John
Ray was taken up, and the defendant
was put upon the stand He admitted
to getting the sand, but did not take
it from above high water mark. He
exhibited diagram of the beach, show
ing where he loaded the sand; said the
sand above any high-water mark was
unmarketable, and he did not get it
from above any high tide mark. The
sand at the place where the tide ceased
to rise would be filled with debris
shells, stones and drift-stuff, and was
not desirable. He went to the bank
to see Mr.. Nixon about it because Mr.
Nixon had written a letter to him tc
come and see about taking sand from
there, and save trouble. Mr.. Nixon
had, at that time, forbidden him to &C
to the beach and get sand; Mr.. Nixon
offered to lease him the right to get
sand there at the rate of s. a vesse
load.
Harry Wall was sworn, and stated
that he was not with Captain Ray on
the 21st of May, when he took the
sand; didn't know the date, but was
with the captain the day the Lores
and Hires and Davis were down, when
they were loading sand. He said that
thew GOT the sand FROM below high
water mark.
Frank Ross was put on the stand as
an authority on the run of tides as
regulated by the moon, his remarks
meeting with approving smiles from
Judge, jury, and auditors.
Captain James Osborne, of Alloway
was sworn; also Daniel Osborne, OF
the same place. Their evidence was
for the purpose OF establishing what
was the highwater mark, and the
kind of sand taken for market. They
were old sand carriers. The last wit
ness was on oldish man, who said he
had been in the business with his
father from his earliest recollection.
johnson Vinsel, Joseph Vinsel, Da
vid Loper, George Freas, and mum
ber of other witnesses, were sworn te
prove that the sand for market was
white sand, and could only be pro
cured from a point below high water
mark. With this evidence both sides
rested. Judge Westcott having te
leave on the $40 train, made q short
summing up.
Friday Morning.
When the Court adjourned last night
Judge Westcott, of Camden, had just
concluded q short argument in the now
celebrated Ray case. The heavy par
of the argument was left for VanSycke
this morning on the part of the de
fence. 1t is not always safe to pre-
Judge a case before-the Jury comes il
forthe verdict they render may upset
all ones Judgment; but the prevailing
sentiment seemed to be that the prose
cution had not made very strong
case in so far as Mr. Nixon's property
was concerned. The defendants own
admissions, however, might make {
C Use against him as regarded taking
sand from the State of New Jersey. In
order to hasten matters the Court com
menced business at half-past nine
In the cases of Capt. John Elmer,
indicted fos stealing sand; Fred.
!; Hohenstatt, G. G. Cast, and George
! kinkle, indicted for keeping disoraerly
houses by selling liquor without licen-
ses, IA plea of laan rult was entered in
each case,
c. &. Sheppard, Esq, the attorney
on the part of the Law and Order So
ciety, desired to make IA statement,
but the Court was not yet ready to
hear him, and the case of John Ray
was resumed.
Lawyer VanSyckei requested the
Court to charge that Capt. Ray could
only be convicted in this case, if con
victed at all, of petty larceny. He
then commenced very strong argu-
ment to the jury, demonstrating the
claim that the sand was taken from
I. L, ,trxJ, 4N,,